"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

The X generation ,Zoomers and Culture Vultures

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "One way to win an award. Create your own.":

@00:36

*facepalm*

The point is these AREN'T vanity awards. Look at the entities involved; Queen's University and the CPA of Ontario. This competition is conducted with academic and professional rigour. Something I'd like to see applied every now and then to this little corner of the interwebz.

Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 4 March 2014 09:03


******************

We keep learning. Idid not know there was a class of awards named vanity. But it does make eminent sense. 

I am still not aware of the connection to Queen's University and the CPA of Ontario.

But whatever it is, perhaps the commenter can tell us how the Aurora Culture Centre passes as a charitable organization in the  same class as  Covenant House in Toronto or Hospice King.

As noted before,Covenant House has been taking in runaway and throwaway kids from the streets of Toronto. Providing them with safe refuge and a fresh start.

How does that compare with the activities of the  Aurora Culture Centre.. Nothing charitable is going on there. It's all paid for by  Aurora taxpayers  and who knows who the beneficiaries are.

Hospice King provides  refuge and comfort for  the terminally ill in the last days of their lives.

How does that compare with the offerings of the Aurora Culture Board.

What does  the inclusion  of the Culture Centre Board  as a charitable organization  tell us about the academic and professional rigour of "the two entities"

Why should  we be so easily convinced  that everything  they do is above reproach and meticulous in scrupulosity

My mailbox is burgeoning with heavy glossy paper publications ,paid for with tax dollars,
promoting   any and all public services .

I'm no expert on that either. But I know card weight paper ,with multiple colors and high gloss
is the most extravagant .

Millions of public dollars are spent  regularly on promotions of various kinds.

In the meantime, when governments look for ways to save ,they cut services to the most vulnerable.

The rich get richer and the poor get trampled.

And we seem to live in a society that condones that.

The  X Generation they call it.

Entitlement  ... Entitlement..... Entitlement...it's downright nauseating.

Don't hold your breath  waiting for me  to prostrate myself before the lofty heights of academe or the CPA . 

 They're  no different to all the rest of Conrad Black's Zoomers

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

For those that would like to see the information without hyperboly.....

http://business.queensu.ca/centres/CPA-QCG/voluntary_sector_reporting/index.php

KA-NON said...

To whatever extent the Culture Centre claims charity status is a sham(e).

It is honestly embarrassing, and I actually think that we should be actively moving to have that status revoked.

Anonymous said...

There isn't any information on that website that provides any answers to how or why these awards or honorable mentions were given. Apparently there was a “technical screen checklist” that was done, with some sort of feedback given by the “Judges panel”. Who the judging panel are?, How they were scored on this “technical checklist” and the feedback? None of that information was provided. I also looked to see if there was an entry fee…Didn't say that there was or wasn't. I’m sure that there is some validity to all awards, and not to take anything away from the “Honorable mention”. But the submission of this contest was to clearly try and show Aurorans that there is validly to this Center, and all is above board… It didn't work for me.

Anonymous said...

KA-NON
I could be wrong [ & someone will be sure to pounce ] but I believe it is able to give tax receipts because of the non-profit label. That is quite distinct from a charity. It's a CRA term. The same marketing is used elsewhere which teaches us to look very carefully at all solicitations. It used to be that people recognized genuine charities - now the line is blurred.

Anonymous said...

KA-NON,

Are you suggesting that the CRA has not done their due dilligence?

This is just like the "Jazz Festival" getting Trillium grants. There are alot of good not-for-profit (note NOT charity) that should get Trillium $ but do not, but the Jazz Festival did.

Anonymous said...

For those hung up on the "charity" status - from the website:

"The awards, now in their sixth year, recognize Canada’s best non-profit annual reports."

KA-NON said...

@11:56 I am suggesting that anything which equates the Cultural Centre with the common understanding of the word "Charity" should offend us all.

I understand the place for "not-for-profit" organizations (not quite a charity, but some of same tax treatments), but given that some of the CC programming competes with "for profit" enterprise in Aurora (e.g. the music lessons which were mentioned in a different post), even that is mildly offensive in this case.

So, yeah, I guess I am wondering whether or not the CRA is getting this one correct.

Anonymous said...

12:12
Ah. Got it. the " reports ' received the awards.

Anonymous said...

Yes, 12:29, the excellent reports rec'd Honourable Mention - an 'in your face' to all the whingers about a lack of financial transparency.

Anonymous said...

13:22
You may want to read 11:33 comment.

Anonymous said...

12:12

Hit's it on the head - it is not the Centre that got the award, it's the report.

The reason the web site was posted was for everyone to read it and understand. I took less than 2 hours. Well Done.

No get back to work and stop worrying about things that are out of your control.

It Can't Be Diminished said...

Whose report? Exactly.

Anonymous said...

17:06
Would that be the report prepared by that entity to compete with other reports presented by different groups ? As in, Tommy's essay was better than Susan's ?

Anonymous said...

No, 12:11, that report would be the same as those that have been issued every year since its inception.

Anonymous said...

Holy crap, what a bunch of sour grapes.

Anonymous said...

I agree, 15:08; the amount of carping and moaning from those that didn't get their way - it's both "crap" and "sour grapes."

Anonymous said...

15:08, 19:55
Ahhh ..So those that oppose this Center are to do what exactly? Jump for joy and enjoy the money that is being taken from them via their taxes? Sit back as the town competes with private businesses with taxpayers money? Sigh a little “oh well…better luck next time”? You’ll be hearing more “moaning”, “carping” and “sour grapes” come October.

Anonymous said...

23:05
If we did not express our continued disgust, the accusation would be that we should have said something. I think we were all just supposed to vanish....

Anonymous said...

This is like those report cards in the schools now. no one ever fails - it might hurt their feelings.
One school tried an idea that they called " Twin Day " where the little kids dressed like their friends with the same bow or different coloured socks. It had to be scrapped when some of the TEACHERS complained about not being able to get other teachers to dress as they did.

Anonymous said...

Any carping and moaning after the new agreement was signed just smacks of sour grapes and screams 'sore loser.'